Interview: Liza Corbett

As one of her biggest fan, I’m so happy to bring Liza Corbett here for an interview — her prints and her images are so very beautifully haunting. I have one of her pieces — it was one of my very first art prints ever, which I truly treasure. She’s also our first artist interview for 2009, so read on away!

Name: Liza Corbett
Location: New York City
Website: www.lizacorbett.com
Shop: lizacorbett.etsy.com
Blog: lizacorbett.blogspot.com
Illustration media: Pen + ink, watercolor, gouache + digital

Tell us a little more about yourself.
I love to draw. I draw constantly, at home, while watching tv, in restaurants, everywhere. I have dozens of sketchbooks going at a time. I’m inspired by fairy tales, operas, fashion design, so many things.

How did you get your start in illustration?
I studied illustration in school, but I’ve been working as a graphic designer since I graduated. In the past couple of years I’ve been working towards getting back to illustration and creating artwork.

Your sketchbooks are so, so lovely — could you tell us more about your thought process when you lay your pen to paper?
Thank you so much! I’ve always loved keeping sketchbooks, but sometimes having the time to work in actual bound books seems like such a luxury. But they are so important for documenting ideas and experimenting. I’ve been trying to work more on larger loose sheets of paper as I’m trying to be less constrained and less precious — which I seem to get when working in sketchbooks. But they are really important to record the random thoughts and ideas that flit through my head. I love looking back over my books and being surprised by drawings or notes that I’d completely forgot I made.

What or who inspires you?
I’m often inspired by stories of people leading fantastical lives. Real or fictional, their stories can get you thinking beyond your daily existence. Like the artist who arranges her refrigerator like an art installation, putting broccoli in silver candlesticks. I’m inspired by a number of women artists across the spectrum of commercial and non-commercial art. I’m really inspired by Camille Rose Garcia, Margaret Kilgallen, Camilla Engman, Louise Bourgeois and Kiki Smith. Some of the painters I could look at forever are: Edouard Vuillard, Isabelle Arsenault, Pierre Bonnard & Natalie Ascencios. For line and shape, Aubrey Beardsley and Arthur Rackham.

What keeps you motivated?
I want to improve, I want to see what I can do and realize the ideas I have floating around in my head and see where they take me.

What’s your favourite tool?
Hmmm…definitely my Faber-Castell mechanical pencil that my mom bought for me at Sennelier in Paris and my Rotring technical pens. And good drawing paper. My favorite Meridian paper is no longer the same amazing quality it used to be, so I use the remaining pad very, very sparingly. Finding a similar paper with the same amount of tooth has become an obsession. And also my laptop – I never thought I would use a computer when I studied illustration in school – but it has become hugely important to me – especially with my commercial work.

Are you a full-time artist?
No, not yet! I do some part-time freelance design work for a couple of magazines right now, along with the illustration assignments and commissioned projects.

What advice would you like to give people who would like to sell their works online?
Currently I only sell work through ETSY, which has been a godsend. I’m still trying to figure out how to advertise my shop more, as there are an incredible number of sellers on ETSY. Keeping your shop fresh and interacting with other sellers seems like good advice.

Where do you see yourself within the next few years?
I’d like to see myself in Paris, working as a fleuriste for ODORANTE – hiding grainy, black & white xeroxed love poems in enormously fragile bouquets — but I will be more than content if I am able to continue creating art as often as possible.

Tell us something random!
I’m one of the guest artists on a great new site called ROSS + LEO Mighty Fine Magnets. I created 3 sets: Mourning, Dowagers and a Sketchbook set. It’s a great company – they are currently selling their work online and through Brooklyn Flea – I am so honored to be a part of this start up and hope that lots of people check them out and support them!

What message do you want to send out to people about your work?
It’s for sale! Also, it loves to get comments and feedback!

{Thank you Liza!}